Gage.



BATENTED SEPT. 15, 1903.

A.'A. HANDLEY. I

GAGE.

uruoumn FILED D20. 12. 1902.

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UNITED STATES Patented September 15, 1903.

ARBELIA A. HANDLEY, OF HENDERSON, KENTUCKY.

. GAGE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 738,903, dated September 15, 1903.

Application filed December 12, 1902. Serial Nol35,005. (No model.) i

' To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ARBELIA A. HANDLEY, a citizen of the United States, residing at Henderson, in the county of Henderson, State of Kentucky, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Gages; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to gages for, use by dressmakers in basting tucks or plaits or folds or in cutting bias folds or in spacing hooks and eyes upon fabrics; and it has for its object the provision of a cheap and simple gage that may be worn upon the thumb for convenient use and may be easily and quickly adjusted to make different measurements in the different uses to which it is put.

In the drawings forming a portion of this specification, and in which like numerals of reference indicate similar parts in the several views, Figure 1 is a perspective View of the gage and showing the position of the parts when in use in basting tucks or plaits of minimum width. Fig. 2 is an elevation of the gage, showing one of its wings partly folded. Fig. 3 is a view similar to Fig. 2, showing both wings folded. Fig. 4 is a top plan view showing one of the side wings in its unfolded position and the other Wing in partly-folded position.

The present gage comprises the three metal plates 5, 6, and 7, of which the plate 6 has the ends of the plates 5 and 7 pivoted to its ends, and these plates are of the same length and adapted to be swung upon their pivots to lie one upon another when the outermost plates or wings are not in use. An open ring or attaching-band 8 is provided and is mou nted upon the plate 6 and is held pivotally thereto by means of a rivet 9, which is passed through one end of the band and through the plate. This pivotal connection of the plate and band permits of adjustment of the plate to lie at various angles to the band to facilitate operation of the gage in the various uses to which it is put. It will be noted that the pivots connecting the plates and connecting the band with the central plate are parallel.

In the use of the gage the thumb of the operator is passed through the retaining-band,

with the plate 6 lying transversely of the under side of the thumb, and the plates 5 and 6 are swung into position to form continuations of the plate 6 or to lie either one or both along the side of the thumb, depending upon the width to be measured.

In Fig. 1 of the drawings there is shown the gage attached to the thumb and adjusted for use in making a plait having a width equal to or less than the length of the plate 6, at which time the plates 5 and 7 are swung at right angles to the plate 6 to extend rearwardly along the sides of the thumb. It is understood that the plates are marked with fractions of an inch, and in the present instance each plate is an inch long. The cloth is folded for the plait, and the thumb is manipulated to hold the plate 6 at right angles to the line of fold of the cloth, so that the depth of the fold may be accurately gaged as the thumb is shifted across the goods or cloth in the folding operation. As with the present gage the width of the fold may be accurately determined, the fold may be basted as it is turned, an evident advantage when operating upon goods that will not retain a crease. If the told is to be of a depth greater than the length of the plate 6, either or both of the plates 5 and 7 may be moved into substantial alinenlent with the plate 6, when a fold of a width equal to the combined lengths of the three plates may be formed with the same degree of accuracy. It will of course be understood that the invention in this case lies in providing a measuring device which when in use will not interfere with the use of both hands of the operator, as is shown above.

The present gage may also be employed in cutting a bias fold, at which time one end of the gage is moved along the edge of the goods as it is cut, and the proper mark on the gage indicating the width of the plait is moved along the previously-cut edge. In addition to the open ring 8 a second open ring 10 may be employed, which is connected with the first ring by means, of a short light chain 11, so that when not in use the ring 8 may be removed from the thumb, but will be retained where it will be easy of access.

It will be understood that in practice modifications of the specific construction shown may be made and that any suitable materials and proportions maybe used for the various parts without departing from the spirit of the invention.

What is claimed is- 1. A gage comprising an attaching-ring, a plate connected to the attaching-ring and additional plates pivotally connected at their ends with the ends of the first-named plate, said plates being graduated for measuring.

2. A gage comprising a graduated plate having an open ring pivotally attached to the cen- 

